Daily Republican., 1887-11-05
UNDER THE OLD ROOF rREB.

hnsoiyi buouteu DkoK6r tn6 other
evening. to n por!ly, dne dressed man
10 the corridor OF the St. James. The
g-ntleman stopped, shook bauds with
his friend, and replied: "I've been
home to see my old father and mother,
tbs first time In sixteen years, and I
tell you. old man, wouldn't have
missed 1t for all my fortune"
"hinder good to visit your boyhood
hone, eL2"
You bet. Sit down. 1 was Just
tbiuRing about the old folks. and feel
tslkative. II you have few moments
TO spare, sit down, light cigar, md
listen to story OF q rich man who had
almost forgotten his father and moth.
er"
They eat down, and the man told his
story.
"How I came 10 visit my home hap
pened In o curious way. Blk weeks
ago went down to Fire Island fishing
l had lunch put mp at Crook s,
Nash'v. and you can imagine my as
tonish ment when l opened the hamper
to hnd package OF crackers wrapped
up In q piece Of newspaper. That
newspaper was the little patent inside
country weekly published ct home. in
Wisconsin. l read every word of 1t,
advertisements and all. There was
Kellogg. who was o sohoolmate OF
mine, advertising hams and salt pork
and another boy WAS postmaster. By
Georgei IL made me homesick, and !
determined then and there to 60 home,
and 60 home did.
SIN the frss place I must tell you
how came to New York. 1 had tiff
With my father and left home. L anal
ly Turned up In New York with o dol
lar in my pocket. got q job running
freight elevator In the very house In
which am now partner. Ny haste
to get rich drove the thoughte of my
parents away from me. and when l did
think Of them the hard words that my
father last spoke 10 me ranked in my
bosom. We'll, went home. l didn'
see much change in Chicago, bu. the
magnificent. now depot 10 Milwaukee
thought WINS an Improvement on tht
old shed they used to have,
"It was only thirty miles from Mil
waukee to my home, and tell you
John, that train seemed to creep.
IVES actually worse than school boy
going home to vacation. At last We
nearec the town. Familiar sights me
my eyes and, darn 1t ALL they fillet
with tears. There was Bill Lyman
red barn, just the same; but, grea
| Scottl what were all the other houses,
We rode nearly mile before coming !,
the depot, though houses where only
occasionally saw one that was fsmil
lar. The town had gro wn 10 ten time,
It's size when l knew IL. The srair
stopped and jumped of. Not fao'
In sight that / knew, and started
down the platform to 60 home. In thu
Office door stood the station agent
walked up and said: 'Howdy, Mr.. Col
lins2'
HE stared at me- and replied: 'Yor
have got the best of me, SIR
81 told him who 1 was and what
had been doing In New York, and h'
didn't make any bones in talking Il
me- Said he: ITS about time yoI
came home. You in New York rich
and your father rcratching gravel u
make bare living
II tell you, John, 1t knocked me al
In hemp I thought my father hat
enough to livs upon comfortably. Thsl
q notion struck me. Before going HON,
| L teleRraphed to Chicago to one of on
correspondents there to send nae 81 ,0p
by frat mail Then 1 went inte Mr.
Collins back office, got my trunk II
there, and put on nn old hand-ms.dowl
| suit that used for hunting and fishing
| My plug hs. i replaced for o soft hat
took my valise Ia my hand and wen
l home. Somehow the place didn't lool
| right. The ourraps bushes had beel
dug up from the front yard and tn
fsncs was gone. An the old locus
trees had bsen cut down and yount
| naples were planted. The house looket
smaller somehow, too. But went NJ
to the front door and pulled the bell
| Mother came to the door and eaid: w,
don't wish to buy anything to-day
| sir
"It didn't take me n minute TO sur
vey her from head to foot NeaSi!
| dressed, John, hut % patch and q dari
here and there, her hair streGIed Will
gray, her face shia, drawn asd wrin
killed.. Yet over her eyeglasses shon
those good, houes., benevolent eyes.
stood staring at her, and then she bsgal
to stare Ut me. fsAw the blood rush II
her face, and with q great sob sh
threw hersalf upon me aud nervous
clnsped me about tha neck, hysterioail.
crying. IT'S Jimmyi it's Jim myP"
Then cried. too, John. JUS
broke down and cried liko baby. Sh
got me into the house, hugging ao'
kissing me, and then she went TO tn
back door and shouted George!
"Father came In in n moment an,
from the kitchen asked:'Whaty you wan
Car'iine?'
"Then he camein. He knew me In
moment. He stuck out his hand AMI
grasped mine, and said ateInly: well
young man, 90 you propose to behav
| yourself no~7'
HE tried 10 put on q brave front
but he broke down. There We tbre
sat, like whipped school children, al
whimpering. At last supper time cam
and mother went ont to prepare 10.
went Into the kitchen with her.
"WheIs do you live, Jimmy" Bh
asked.
"In New York." replied.
"What you workin' at now Jim my?'
"I'm working in Q dry goods store.
nThen suppose you don't live yer,
biQh, for hear tell o. them city clerk
what don't get money enough to Keel
body aud soul together. 30 I'll just tel
Con. Jiramy, we got nothin' but roas
spare ribs for supper. We ain't got an!
money now. Jimmy. We're poorer NO
Jobs turkey"
T told her that 1 would be delighted
| with the spare ribs, and 10 tell tn
| Truth, John, haven't eaten . meal II
| New York that tasted 30 we'll rs thos
crisp roasted spare ribs did. I span
the 'evening playing checkers will
| father, while mother sat by telling m
ali about their misfortunes, from oil
| wh,ta Moolev getting drowned In tn